This Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is packed with flavor from balsamic caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, manchego cheese, and spinach. The whole thing is rolled up and grilled until the pork is juicy and the cheese is nice and melted. This post is sponsored by Grill Mates.
How to Make Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is an amazing way to really amp up a simply cut of meat. Pork tenderloins are incredibly tender, since they are essentially the filet. Since there is very little fat in a tenderloin, it is perfect to stuff with all sorts of tasty things to bring in both moisture and flavor.
Start by removing any excess fat or silverskin from the exterior of the tenderloin. Working on a large cutting board, start butterflying open your tenderloin by running a sharp knife about 1/2 an inch above the bottom side of the tenderloin. Keep your knife at a parallel 1/2 inch above the cutting board as you essentially unroll the tenderloin until it is flat and even.
It’s time to stuff! Spread on some softened cream cheese, layer with manchego cheese, it melts nicely and has the perfect bite (could also substitute with an extra sharp white cheddar). Spoon on some sweet and tangy balsamic caramelized onions, fresh spinach, and crispy bacon pieces. These flavors together are dynamite! Starting with the inside edge of your tenderloin, roll tightly until it looks like a slightly bigger version of the tenderloin you started with. Tie off every couple of inches with butcher’s twine and you’re ready to season!
I sprinkled my stuffed pork tenderloin liberally with McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite Seasoning. This blend is bold and a little bit smoky, the perfect complement to the layers of flavor within the filling. The Mesquite flavor also allowed me to grill this particular pork tenderloin quickly over medium high heat (around 375 degrees F) and get a nice smoked flavor in under 30 minutes. If you wanted to add an additional layer of flavor, you could smoke the stuffed pork tenderloin at 225 degrees F for about an hour. It would be absolutely delicious!
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- 1 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin silverskin removed
- 2 slices thick cut bacon diced
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 oz manchego cheese grated
- 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 large red onion cut into rings
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 Tablespoons Grill Mates Mesquite Seasoning
Preheat a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon pieces are crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel to drain and leave the bacon fat in the pan.
Add in the butter and the sliced red onions. Cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions have darkened considerably in color. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Place the pork tenderloin on a large cutting board. Remove any excess fat or silverskin from the exterior of the tenderloin.
Butterfly open the pork tenderloin by using long strokes of your knife along the side of the tenderloin about 1/2 inch above the cutting board. Keep the slices parallel to the cutting board and roll open the tenderloin while slicing.
Spread the softened cream cheese on top of the butterflied tenderloin. Sprinkle with the shredded manchego cheese, caramelized onions, baby spinach leaves, and bacon pieces.
Starting with the edge of the pork tenderloin that was the inside (before slicing open) begin tightly rolling the tenderloin back up. It's OK if there are a few casualties that fall out the sides while rolling.
Tie the roll together with butcher's twine every inch to inch and a half until the roll is nice and bound. Season the pork tenderloin very liberally with Grill Mates Mesquite seasoning.
Grill over indirect, medium high heat (about 375 degrees F) for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the tenderloin is 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat. Turn the pork tenderloin every 5 minutes while cooking.
Allow the tenderloin to rest at least 5 minutes before removing the butcher's twine, slicing the tenderloin into 1 inch thick rounds, and serving.
Looks great
This looks great, and I love to butterfly and stuff. I also butterfly chicken breasts and stuff. YUM.
Could you bake it in the oven instead? What temp and how long?
You can follow the same time and temperature instructions as the written recipe and bake in the oven.
Can you do this in the oven
Of course. You can follow the same time and temperature instructions as the written recipe.
I tried this recipe and it was great. I recommend you try it at least once. You’ll love to serve it to company and you’ll be proud because it’s different. Enjoy it, and your family will love it, too. Bye Joy
A yway you can provide the macronutrients data for this? It was anazing! Mine came out perfectly pink and moist with delicious flavor. Love the combination of the caramelized balsamic onions with cream cheese and spinach. I used a sliced Rubiano medium cheddar cheese and it worked beautifully and tasted delicious.
Thanks so much for your feedback and review, I’m so happy you liked this. Sorry, I don’t have the macronutrient values for this one.
This is a wonderful recipe. Mine came out perfectly as well. I substituted arugula and spinach mixture…also pepper jack cheese and I upped the bacon to four slices.
My packaged 1 1/2 # pork loin came in two pieces, which surprised me. I butterflied them both then rolled them together. It turned out great! We gave this a 10 out of 10 points!
Thanks so much for coming back and leaving such a kind review! I’m so happy this turned out so good for you!
That’s actually the way they are normally packaged. Because they are tapered from one end to the other, they pack them reversed. I don’t care for stuffing tenderloins because I love them on their own, so I often season and then tie them together as packaged for even grilling.
Can u taste the spinach when it is cooked
I don’t think it is an overwhelming flavor in this dish.
This was absolutely amazing. I used fresh grated parmesian. Definately making this again.
If you want to freeze one of these stuffed pork tenderloins, is it better to freeze it before cooking or after?
I would freeze and then cook this one.
Perfectly delicious! This is the 2nd time we make this recipe and the only 2 things that we change was the seasoning (the first time we only had a brisket run and adobo) and the amount of balsamic vinegar (1.5 tbsp to please my balsamic vinegar haters ;p). It is absolutely and by far our favorite recipe for pork tenderloin. I do the seasoning and balsamic caramelized onions w/bacon and hubby does the grilling. It’s juicy, tender and flavorful.
My husband and I made this last night. It was delicious!! All three of our teen boys enjoyed it too. Adding to my list of favorites!
Would this work as well with pork loin roast? Any modifications need done for that?
Works great for a pork loin! The only thing I’d recommend is increasing the time required, as pork loins are thicker than tenderloins.
anyone have a suggestion of a sauce to serve over it?
Is it possible to prepare this dish the night before, refrigerate and then actually grill the next day? We are making 2 and the 4 couples will be playing golf prior to dinner
Sure that would absolutely work!!